Storage compartments for a motor vehicle are known from prior art. Typically, these storage compartments comprise a cover, which can be locked and unlocked by means of a closure. A glove compartment is one such example for a storage compartment. The closure of the glove compartment known from prior art typically comprises a pin mounted to the glove compartment, which is pushed into a recess at the glove compartment by means of a restoring spring, so that the glove compartment is locked by the pin when the cover is closed. The pin is further connected to a handle mounted to the outside of the cover by means of, for example, a mechanical connecting rod. Thus, by pulling the handle the pin can be pulled from the recess, which unlocks the glove compartment.
Glove compartments that can be unlocked by means of an electric motor, which powers a worm gear, are also known from prior art. The worm gear shortens or lengthens a cable pull or a Bowden cable, which in turn moves locking elements, such as for example bolts, via a rod system in such a way that the glove compartment is unlocked. The disadvantage is that the electric motor must be accommodated inside the glove compartment enclosure. Since the electric motor is relatively big, it limits the options to design glove compartment boxes. When in operation the electric motor also causes acoustic noises, which are clearly perceptible for passengers inside the vehicle. The frequencies of these acoustic noises range between 1 and 3 kHz, making them not only clearly perceptible, but also extremely annoying and disruptive.
DE 196 17 403 A1 discloses a closure for a glove compartment cover of a vehicle. The closure comprises an electromagnet, into the longitudinal bore of which an armature engages. The latter is attached to a locking element, which—via the effect of a pressure spring—engages into a receiving bore when the glove compartment cover is in locked position. When the electromagnet, or the coil of the electromagnet, is excited, the armature is pulled into the longitudinal bore of the electromagnet, pulling the locking element from the receiving bore, thus unlocking the glove compartment. The problem of this process is that the movement of the armature or of the associated locking element causes clearly audible noises in the form of tick-tacking perceivable by a passenger when the armature moves from the locking element's locked position into the unlocked position, as well as in opposite direction.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,613,716 discloses a glove compartment unlocking device with minimized noise based on optimizing an actuator control. The actuator in this connection serves to actuate a lock for a door-locking system of a motor vehicle.
KR 10 2001 03 7915 discloses a glove compartment comprising a locking and unlocking unit for opening and closing the glove compartment. DE 103 26 416 A1 discloses a locking device and a locking method for a movable element, particularly a flap or a drawer.
DE 196 17 403 A1 discloses a glove compartment cover of a motor vehicle, wherein an electromagnet is inserted into the dashboard, into the longitudinal bore of which a guiding section engages. The latter is attached to a locking pin, which—caused by the effect of a pressure spring—engages into a receiving bore when the glove compartment cover is in locked position. When the electromagnet is excited, the guiding section is pulled into the longitudinal bore of the electromagnet, so that the locking pin is located outside of the cross-segment of the glove compartment cover, making it possible to pivot the locking pin into the open position.
EP 0 499 419 A2 discloses that the current consumption characteristics of the electromagnet can be used to ascertain as to whether or not a movement of the electromagnet's armature took place.
DE 35 08 338 A1 discloses a device for electrically operating a garage door. The objective of the invention—as disclosed in document 3—is to create a device for electrically operating a garage door, wherein this device is to work in the most economical manner possible. For this purpose a higher feeding current is initially supplied to the electromagnetic locks for the unlocking process to retract the locking pins, and then a lower holding current.